By Associated Press
Montgomery, AL – For two months, the bribery trial of former Governor Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth C-E-O Richard Scrushy unfolded in a Montgomery federal courtroom. Their appeal, however, will be aimed at cyberspace. A federal judge ruled Wednesday that juror activities on computers did not warrant a new trial for Siegelman and Scrushy, who were convicted in June, prompting defense lawyers to say appeals courts may be forced to address jurors surfing the Internet and chatting via by e-mail. U-S District Judge Mark Fuller said the jury was not unfairly influenced by outside information drawn from the Internet and e-mail. His ruling referred to a November 17th hearing in which the 12 jurors were called into court one by one and denied that their final verdict was influenced by outside material. Siegelman said he was shocked by the ruling. The judge said the case can't be appealed until Siegelman and Scrushy are sentenced.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)